It’s the time of year when college basketball rosters are undergoing changes.
Some players commit to begin their careers, while others cut ties in search of new opportunities.
The University of Maine men’s basketball team is saying goodbye to one of its underclassmen, while the Black Bears women’s program has received another verbal commitment for next season.
Coach Bob Walsh’s work on revamping the men’s roster continues with the recent revelation that Christian Ejiga is leaving the program. Walsh confirmed that the 6-foot-8 sophomore forward from Nigeria, who attended Hyde School in Woodstock, Connecticut, plans to transfer.
“What we did this year was very, very different than what the guys were used to, so it kind of became clear as we talked at the end of the year that it was in his best interest to try to find somewhere else to play and to finish his academic career,” Walsh said Wednesday.
Ejiga averaged 2.0 points and 1.7 rebounds while seeing 9.3 minutes per game in 23 contests last season. He is a big, strong athlete who continues to work on developing his basketball skills.
However, his particular attributes were not a good fit for UMaine given the expectations Walsh and his staff have for their players. Those requirements are conveyed throughout the season, including during periodic one-on-one meetings.
“Christian and I had very direct conversations, as I have had with everybody,” said Walsh, who praised Ejiga for his non-basketball attributes.
“Christian’s a good kid, he’s a good student, he’s a good teammate,” Walsh said. “He didn’t sign up for this [coaching staff’s philosophy]. What we did this year was very different than what he was used to, so I do think it wasn’t the best fit.”
Down the hall in Memorial Gym, women’s head coach Richard Barron has received another commitment from an international player.
Isabel Hernandez Pepe, a 5-foot-11 guard from Italy, has committed to UMaine according to Blue Star Europe’s Twitter feed. Hernandez attends Nomentano Scientific High School in Rome.
Barron, who is recruiting in Europe, is prohibited from talking about a recruit until UMaine has received her signed National Letter of Intent. The regular signing period begins April 15.
Based on YouTube videos, Hernandez appears to be able to slash to the basket and shoot from the perimeter
The pending arrival of Hernandez appears to signal that at least one member of this season’s UMaine team will be leaving in addition to graduating senior Courtney Anderson of Greene. There are presently 14 roster members on scholarship, one under the NCAA Division I women’s maximum.
Hernandez’s commitment, combined with that last month of Spanish guard Aida Santana, would make at least 16.